Flexible abrasive article and method of making

Abstract

A flexible hand-held abrasive article includes a conformable backup pad having opposed major surfaces, a backing layer affixed to one surface of the backup pad, the backing layer containing a plurality of biaxially oriented openings, and abrasive particles arranged on the backing layer, thereby defining an abrasive surface. A method of making such an abrasive article is also disclosed. The abrasive article may also comprise a backing layer containing a plurality of biaxially oriented slits with abrasive particles arranged at least one surface of the backing layer.

1. A resilient, flexible, sheet-like hand-held abrasive article, comprising:
 (a) a conformable backup pad formed of a closed-cell polyvinylchloride foam comprising a multiplicity of separated resilient bodies connected to each other in a generally planar array in a pattern which provides open spaces between adjacent connected bodies, each body having a first surface and an opposite second surface, wherein adjacent ones of the resilient bodies are separated from one another at the respective first surfaces and the respective second surfaces; 
 (b) a J-weight woven cloth backing layer attached to the backup pad, the backing layer containing a plurality of biaxially oriented slits; and 
 (c) abrasive particles affixed to the backing layer, thereby defining an abrasive surface.